Rapture in His Arms (14 page)

Tea and a light luncheon had been served on the porch which overlooked the James River. As Jillian sat there and sipped the tea, she couldn’t help wondering at which spot on the river Dorcas had met her death. “I want to visit Dorcas’s grave,” she said to Tyler.

Tyler inclined his head in agreement.

“How did the accident happen?”

“Ah, dear Jillian, I don’t know. I wish I could tell you how it happened, but I haven’t any idea. No one saw her. All I know is that Polly went looking for her and couldn’t find her that afternoon. And then—then we searched for her, and one of the slaves saw her floating face up near the river bank—down that way.” He pointed in the direction where Dorcas had been found and Jillian shivered to imagine the scene.

“Why was she in the river? Dorcas couldn’t swim, she feared water.”

He lifted his hands in a gesture of puzzlement. “I don’t know, I just don’t know what happened or why.”

“Dorcas’s death has been hard on Benjamin,” she correctly observed. “I think you’d be a bit more patient with the child, Tyler, and not chastise him over much.”

“Her death has been hard on me, too!” he snapped.

“I’d like to see her grave now,” Jillian said with more than a hint of frost in her tone as she rose to her feet.

Tyler, apparently sensing he’d offended her, got up and placed his arms around her waist. “Forgive me, Jillian, forgive my bad temper, my foibles. More than anything, I don’t want you to think ill of me. Things are just—so difficult without Dorcas.”

Jillian didn’t care for the way Tyler held her, and something in his attitude distressed her. But he suddenly looked so forlorn that she wondered if she’d misjudged him and he just needed someone’s shoulder to cry upon.

“I miss Dorcas so very much,” Jillian admitted with a sob in her voice.

“Aye, I know how close you and Dorcas were. But Dorcas would want you to be happy. I know she watches from heaven and sees us, standing here, and blesses us. Dorcas always knew we should have married, Jillian. If not for Edwin’s proposal to you, I would now be your husband. So much time has been wasted, taken from us—so much time—” He gently kissed her cheek in what could be taken for a friendly kiss, but Jillian sensed this kiss ran deeper than sympathy and friendship.

Anger stained her cheeks, and she pushed away from Tyler. “I know not what you expect of me, but I tell you this, Tyler, and I say this only once: my time as Edwin’s wife has not been wasted. My friend, your wife,” she reiterated, “lies buried barely three days and you take liberties with another man’s wife. I must believe you are so overwrought from your tragic loss that your thinking is askew.”

Tyler appeared taken aback. A muscle twitched beside his left eye, but he smiled smoothly, “I do apologize. I’m more upset than I thought.” He extended his arm to her. “Now, I shall take you to Dorcas’s resting place.”

Jillian grudgingly laid a hand on his arm and, in silence, they followed the winding path that led to the small family cemetery, hidden in the woods. When she stood beside the freshly dug grave, tears freely slipped down Jillian’s cheeks. Once again, she wondered what had happened to Dorcas.

Donovan watched from the shadows of the porch the tender scene between Jillian and Tyler. He’d come upon them suddenly and without warning, but he’d heard what Tyler had said to her. He’d seen the kiss Tyler had placed on her cheek, and then Donovan turned away, so angry and hurt that it actually pained him to breathe.

“Bloody fool!” he ranted lowly to himself, as he strode toward a grove of cherry trees which had recently started to bloom. He threw himself upon the ground and sat gazing at the river in the distance, but he saw only Jillian in Tyler’s arms.

How could he, a slave, dare to believe that Jillian Cameron might come to care for him? Worse, how could he ever believe anything the woman said to him again?

But he had believed within his heart that Jillian was more than attracted to him, that somehow she might eventually see him as a man and not her husband’s property. He’d hoped that one day her reserve would crumble and she’d willingly come to him. He’d begun to think that she truly was a virtuous wife, a rare breed of woman, and perhaps her morals were too ingrained to be broken. Well, he knew better now.

Jillian Cameron was in love with Tyler Addison. And from what he’d overheard of the conversation, they’d been in love before Jillian’s marriage.

Donovan slammed his fist into the palm of his hand. Everything made sense now. Jillian had loved Tyler but been forced to marry Edwin. It wasn’t duty, or even extreme fondness for Edwin, which caused Jillian to turn away from Donovan’s kisses and caresses. She turned away because of Tyler Addison. Perhaps, Donovan blackly thought, he should go to Edwin and suggest that if Edwin wanted a child, he might enlist Tyler Addison to aid him. Donovan had no doubt that Addison would eagerly accept the task of impregnating Jillian Cameron. And Jillian wouldn’t object to Tyler planting the seed inside of her as she’d done with him.

The sun sank lower in the sky. Donovan didn’t know how long he sat staring at the river and scowling in recollection of Jillian in Tyler’s embrace. Only when one of Addison’s servants hesitantly approached him did Donovan realize that Jillian was ready to leave for home. He slowly rose to his feet and made his way toward the cart. Fervently, he wished that he could obtain his freedom and leave Cameron’s Hundred—forget that Jillian Cameron ever existed. But when he saw the loving way she hugged Addison’s little boy farewell, and noticed how the sunshine caused her cheeks to become pink, he knew he’d always remember her, no matter where he went. She had never looked lovelier.

He also knew that he was hopelessly and impossibly in love with her.

During the ride home, Donovan remained silent, as did Jillian. He wasn’t in a mood to talk, not now, not after witnessing her affection for another man. Donovan figured that it was only a matter of time before Edwin Cameron died and Jillian would be free to marry Addison and raise Addison’s young son. When such a marriage occurred, Donovan intended to be far away. Never would he work for Tyler Addison as overseer or anything else. Resolve strengthened inside Donovan to speak candidly with Edwin Cameron. Before the day was over, he would ask for his freedom. And if his freedom was denied him, he’d run away.

He had to leave or risk more suffering at the warm hands of a cold-hearted woman.

Donovan found Edwin in his library, reading by the light of a tallow candle. When Donovan hesitantly entered the room, his palms were sweating. The next few minutes would change the course of his life, he knew that, and he didn’t have any idea which path he’d be on, come morning.

Edwin smiled tiredly but with good nature as Donovan took a seat opposite him and nervously cleared his throat. In comparison to the frail Edwin, Donovan was a healthy and robust man. His large frame barely fit the small chair. “I’ve come to speak to ye about somethin’, sir,” Donovan began with some uncertainty.

“Aye, I’m glad to see you, lad. I was going to send for you in the morning, but now is a good time. I need to speak with you, too.” Edwin laid aside his book and centered his attention upon Donovan.

“Have I done anythin’ wrong? Did I make an error in the tally books?”

“Nay, your figures are fine. You’ve come a long way since you first arrived here,” Edwin gave him a kind smile. “You can cipher now and read some as well. I’m proud of you, son.”

“Thank ye, sir.” Donovan betrayed his nervousness by pulling at his shirt collar. He wondered what Edwin wanted to speak to him about. Perhaps he’d discovered what had happened between himself and Jillian on the return trip from Jamestown. Lord a’mighty, how would he explain to the man that he’d pleasured his wife? Shame rolled over him to think how disappointed Edwin would be in him. But then Donovan stiffened. Why should he be ashamed of anything? he asked himself. After all, Edwin Cameron had wished for him to impregnate his wife. A child is what Edwin had wanted in the first place, and he had begged Donovan to beget one with her.

“Tell me, what did you want to say to me?” Edwin asked, a curious expression on his face. “You seem quite nervous.”

“Well, er, I am, sir. ’Tisn’t every day I ask to be set free from my bondage.” There he’d said it! Now it was up to Edwin Cameron.

Edwin folded his hands in his lap, seemingly unconcerned by Donovan’s request. “’Tis your freedom you want, lad. You want to leave Cameron’s Hundred.”

“Aye, sir, I do. If ye can’t give me my freedom, then I’ll be runnin’ away.”

“You are an honest man,” Edwin noted with a laugh. “’Tis the main reason I wanted you as overseer. Answer a question for me: Do you want to leave Cameron’s Hundred because of my wife? Be truthful with me. I know you and Jillian are attracted to one another.”

Donovan shifted his position in the chair, suddenly edgy, but he wouldn’t lie to the man. “Aye, I can’t be near her now, not after—well, not after all that has happened,” Donovan admitted.

“But nothing has happened, has it? That’s the reason you want to run away. You have fallen in love with Jillian, and I am glad, son, very glad.”

“She doesn’t love me in return, sir.” He felt self- conscious to be speaking to Edwin as if the man was Jillian’s father instead of her husband, but Edwin had asked for honesty.

That wasn’t good news to Edwin. He’d watched Jillian interact with Donovan and would have sworn that she was more than interested in him. In fact, he’d wondered if the trip to Jamestown might be beneficial for all concerned. Perhaps an attachment and sexual relationship would blossom if he didn’t interfere. Apparently, he’d been wrong. What had happened to cause Donovan to ask for his freedom today of all days? “Do you think Jillian might be in love with someone else?”

“I can’t say.”

Edwin could. Suddenly he knew that Tyler Addison was in the picture again, now that poor Dorcas had died. Edwin considered Tyler to be a snake, someone totally untrustworthy. Addison was notorious for abusing his slaves, for his nefarious business deals. Edwin hadn’t put it past him to try to worm himself into Jillian’s affections, but he hadn’t thought the man would begin working on innocent and tender-hearted Jillian so soon. He’d wager that Tyler wasn’t above using Jillian’s love for Dorcas’s child to sway her to accept his suit. Edwin thanked God that he hadn’t died yet and had possessed the good sense to send for Cyrus Witherspoon. The documents were in order, and Donovan had come to see him at a propitious time. Finally, the good Lord was smiling down upon him.

“Donovan, I’m going to be honest with you. I need you to help me, and if you do, I’ll free you.”

This was too simple and too easy to be believed! Donovan stifled the impulse to whoop with joy. Instead he cocked a wary eyebrow at the man. “I’m thinkin’ ye must have somethin’ more on your mind.”

“You are a suspicious fellow, however, you are also correct.” Edwin opened his desk drawer and pulled out a legal document. “This is my last will and testament. In it, I leave Cameron’s Hundred to Jillian’s children.”

“But, sir—”

“I know, son. Jillian doesn’t have any children—at least, not yet. I trust that after I’m gone, she’ll marry and become a mother. I want my property to pass to her children, fathered by her second husband. In that way, I can keep the plantation out of the greedy hands of men who’d attempt to woo and wed her for my property, without a thought to her feelings. Women are scarce in the colony, especially wealthy women with property. I know that once I am dead, the house will swarm with men like honeybees on a warm summer’s day, and many of them are self-serving bastards. And because of these greedy men, I need your help.”

Bafflement clearly was etched on Donovan’s handsome face. “What do ye want me to do, Mr. Cameron, run them off?”

“Precisely.”

Donovan stiffened. “I want my freedom. I don’t want to be your wife’s keeper.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Edwin said in a business-like tone of voice, “for if you want your freedom, then that is exactly what I expect of you. The papers have been drawn up by my solicitor expressing that very thing. Your signature is all that’s needed. Before I die, young man, I must have your assurance that you’ll look after Jillian, that you’ll protect her from men who are vultures, men such as Tyler Addison, who want her for my property. I want you to agree to protect her and stay on as overseer until she marries, in exchange for your freedom, which becomes a fact upon my death. And, lad, I’ll tell you that you haven’t long to wait.” Sadness crept into Edwin’s face when he picked up the quill and handed it to Donovan. “My signature is already affixed. Yours is required, otherwise, the will is null and void. And neither one of us profits, you in life nor I in death.”

Donovan’s head spun with the implications. All he had to do was sign his name and he’d be free upon Edwin’s death. But he’d promised that he’d stay on as overseer and protect Jillian from men like Tyler Addison, a man whom Jillian didn’t want protection from. Did Edwin guess where Jillian’s affections were truly placed? But what did it matter to him whom Jillian loved? He had come here to beg for his freedom and discovered that Edwin was handing it to him of his own volition. He wouldn’t have to grovel for it, he wouldn’t have to run away to attain it. Freedom was his for the taking. All he must do was sign the bloody document!